The second change explored in the pilot program required the faculty who taught the mainstream classes to use “engaged learning” or “active learning” teaching methods. The faculty were to deemphasize “talk and chalk” passive teaching methods. Instead, faculty were to emphasize methods that engaged the students by using, for instance, film, social media, and student participation. 1 HR 41:30, et sequa.

The pilot program showed promise. Thus, then-President Raymond Burse and the KSU Senate approved the program's implementation in the fall 2015 semester.

Dr. Lorna Shaw was hired as KSU Dean in the spring 2015 semester. In this capacity, one of her duties was to implement the accelerated learning program. Although she had not taught university classes using the accelerated learning program, during her fifteen years as an administrator at other colleges and universities, including as dean, she had implemented and had overseen similar programs.

Dr. Shaw held “round-tables” and seminars with the faculty concerning the accelerated learning program. During these meetings, Dr. Shaw informed the faculty that she and another administrator, Dr. Erin Wheeler, would be visiting the freshmen English and math classes to observe how well the faculty members were implementing the accelerated learning program. 1 HR 47:00, et sequa. Their intention was to use the observations to provide feedback on implementation of the accelerated learning program

Implementation of the accelerated learning program also required KSU to hire additional support instructors. KSU apparently had not hired sufficient personnel at the beginning of the fall 2015 semester to provide all the English and math faculty members with support instructors. Apparently, Dr. Stokes was one of the faculty who did not have a support